June 29, 2011

Proun: Free, Fast, Fun, Fucking… Really Good

So hey! Hey, I’m not really what you’d call a Race Cars Fan. I don’t know that you’d ever call anyone that, now that I think about it. I feel like there’s probably a less stilted way of saying it. No don’t tell me I don’t even care god.

The point is: I don’t love racing, but I love Proun more than your parents love you. It’s exhilaration in a tiny, simple and very beautiful package. It’s difficult to describe, but here:

That’s it. It’s a beautiful abstract landscape unlike anything you’ve seen set to a jazzy soundtrack that allows you to experience speed that makes your hair fly back. And the landscapes are really beautiful at full resolution with all the bells on. Simple, obviously, but crisp and bright and clean and man just nice. Little graphical tricks that don’t do much to improve games that are trying to mimic reality really make the tracks in Proun shine.

And that’s the whole thing! It’s an experience in trying to quickly react to changing environmental hazards in order to shave time off again and again until you can do the level such a ludicrous speed that you’re less reactive than precognitive. There are, of course, online leaderboards to track your progress. You can even race your friends locally, on the same computer and even same keyboard if you feel like it.

It's just, it's really pretty. Even more pretty in motion, too.

The online community has also already started churning out extra maps in new and strange abstract landscapes, something I hope continues to pick up pace. Hell, are you an artist? Make something for this and I guarantee you more people will be excited about your work than are currently pretending to be.

The best part about all this? It’s free! Well, actually it’s pay $whatyouwant. If you’re somehow completely unable to find joy in the gameplay video and screenshots, you can simply download the whole game and give it a go. If you’d like a neat little bonus track to play, you can donate money to the author. I gave $5, which seems frankly unfair. I may give more later! You should see the game for youself and give it the money you think it deserves. And if you don’t think it deserves any money, you’re dead inside.